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(No Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. E. THORNE. SOUND LOGATING INSTRUMENT.

No. 605,031. Patented May 31,1898.

M e h S e h s 2 E N R O H T H a d 0 M 0 W SOUND LOGATING INSTRUMENT. No.605,031. Patented May 31,1898.

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LEVI E. THORNE, OF NEWV YORK, NJY.

. SOUND-LOCATING EN STUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,031 dated May 31,1898. Application fiiea September 23,1897. Serial No. 652,719 (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known thatI, LEVI E. THORNE, acitizen of thefUnited States, and aresident of ing instrument is increased, whereby the dc vice as a wholeis rendered more simple in construction and lighter in weight than anydevices of a similar character now in vogue, and whereby otherimprovements are attairiedjallof which will be hereinafter pointed out.

In order that the invention may be the bet ter understood, I have in theaccompanying drawings illustrated a preferred embodiment thereof,without, however, thereby intending to restrict my invent-ion in itsuseful applications to such forms thereof as I have for the purpose ofillustration delineated.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a device embodying myimprovements, one of the receivers having appliedto it the screen. Fig.2 is a central vertical section of the receivers. Fig. 3 is a face Viewof one of the receivers. Fig; 4: is a horizontal section on.

lines 4, Fig. 3. .Fig. 5 is a conical section of one of the earpieces.Fig. 6 is a face view of the same. Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively a sideand front view of the supporting-frame for the screen. Fig. 9 is adetail sectional view of a form of receiver hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings, A A represent the two funnel or trumpet shapedsound-receivers. They are preferably arranged upon a rotatable supportB, so that their mouths or flaring open ends point in opposite orsubstantially opposite directions. Their tapering ends 0,- to which areattached flexible tubes 0 or other sound-00nduits,preferably extenddownward, thoiigh the shape of the receivers may be changed so that theyextend rearward or at an angle, as may be found most desirable.

In apparatus of'the kind to which mine belongs the trumpet shaped soundreceivers have heretofore always, so far as I am aware, been so shapedthat a portion of the rear or aft part of the inside wall of the mouthofthe receiver is convex, as indicated by the dotted lines as in Fig. 2.This shape of-the receiverwall tends to reflect such-sound-waves as mayenter the receivers mouth and strike such convex part. As the onlysound-waves which directly enter the receivers mouth when the instrumentis faced close to the direction from which the sound comes strike thisconvex portion and are more or less reflected thereby, and for thatreason are partially lost to the sense of the observer, it follows thatthe instrument thus made loses a certain degree of its efficiency and isnot so sensitive as it.

would he were all the conducted to the ear of the observer. One featureof my invention consists in'a receiver so shaped as to better collectthe sound and to prevent the loss by reflection in the manner justpointed out. To this end I make the end of the sound-collecting receiveradjacent to the mouth or open end to belly outward on its rear or aftside, as indicated at a. It will be readily seen that when thusconstructed any sound which enters the mouth of the receiver is caughtand directed toward its con- ,veying portion, and the liability of lossby reason of the reflection of the sound is re duoed to a minimum. Ialso prefer toma-ke the inner wall a of the receiver-that is, that partwhich is opposite to the open mouthsubstantially flat from a line aboutopposite to the center of the mouth-opening of the receiver to thecontracted portion 0. l and 2.) The upper part a of the inner wall orthat portion which is farthest from the contracted part c is curved soas to be convex on its inner side till it joins or merges into the flatportion apf the wall, as represented in Fig. 2. I find'that this way ofshaping the rear wall of the receiver is preferable to that representedin-Fig. 9, where the rear wall extends first backward or away from themouth ,inits upper portion and then forwardor toward the mouth in itslower portion.

I prefer to surround the mouth of each receiver by a flatflange D, whichextends outward in a plane that is transverse to the axis of. thereceiver at its mouth or open end. These flanges operate' to' increase111168811817 sound-collected and (See Figs. 1

' used in combination tiv eness of the instrument, cutting oifin a veryperfectmanner the sound from that receiver which is turned away from thedirec:

the receivers mouth would be operative and effective.

At the ends of the tubes-O, I arrange earpieces -of novel constructionand represented as a Whole by- E. Each earpiece consists of a plate ordisk 6, preferably of metal, and provided with a central perforatedhollow projection e, to the outer side of which is secured the tube 0from the receiver. F is an earpiece, preferably of hollow conical shape,fitted intotheinner side of the projection c. This earpiece F=ispreferably formed'of vulcanized rubber, its smaller end being soft andadapted. to enter the ear-orifice. Supported upon the plate e andoutside of the earpiece F is asort of cushion eflpreferably formed offelt and adapted to rest against the head around the ear when theearpiece is being used and to'operate to interceptand cut off all localsounds.

I have heretofore patented a screen to be with sound-locating instruments to prevent the rush of air around and into the instrument, my

patent being dated August 10, 1897, and numbered 588,034. I haveimproved upon the screen shown in such patent, and'instead of supportingit ontirely independently of the instrument I now combine it directlytherewith,- supperting it upon the receiver. The. screen is representedat G and consists,

preferably, of silk or a similar close-woven material, which while notmaterially interfering with the free transmission of sound will yetoppose the entrance of air. This screen is supported by thesound-receiver and is stretched over the open mouth thereof, the

edges of, which it covers, so that it operates to prevent the whistlingof the wind across such edges. I prefer that there should be combinedwith the screen a light convex frame H, over which it may be stretched,as thereby all liability of the screen'fiuttering may be avoided. Theframe H maybe secured to the flaringe'nd of the receiver in anypreferred way. I prefer that this screen-frame should be of woven wireof two or three inch mesh, and as a means for attaching it to thereceiver the wire frame may be attached to a split ring J,half-cylindrical in cross-section, and made of some elastic or springmetal, such as brass. This ring with the frame attached may be easilyslipped onto or ofi the flange D of the receiver by slightly springinitopen. When upon the receiver, it may he means. The screen maybestretched by any suitable means-es, for example, a drawstring g-theedge of the material of which the screen is composed being drawn overthe edge of the mouth of the receiver or the flange D when that is useduntil thescreen is taut, when it is secured by the'draw-string. Othermeans might of course be used for the same purpose. A screen of this-character is very light and adds but little to the size of theinstrument.

' Having thus describedmy invention, what 2. Asound-locatin ginstrument,comprising two receivers of funnel or trumpet shape whosemouths point in substantially opposite,

held in place by a screw or other suitable dll6CillOI1S,'l3h6 mouth ofthe receivers being provided with flat flanges extending outward inplanes substantially transverse to the axes of the receivers at theirmouths, substana,

'tially as and for the purposes hereinbefore 3. In a sound-locatinginstrument, a receiver for collectingthe sound, the outerfiaring portionof which is bellied on its rearpart adjacent to the mouth, substantiallyas and for the purposes herein-before set forth.

4. The combination with thereceiver of a sound-locating instrument, of awind-screen supported across and covering the edges of the mouth of thereceiver, substantially as and for the purposeshereinbefore set forth.5. The combination with the receiver of a sound-locating instrument, ofa frame supported directly by thereceiver and arranged over the mouththereof, and a wind-screen drawn over the frame, substantially as andfor the purposes hereinbefore setforth.

6. In combination with a receiver of a sound -locatin'g instrument,- ofa funnel or trumpet shape, of a'wind-screen of flexible material,andmeans for stretching the screen ac'r'o'ssthe' open end or month 'ofthe receiver,-

and over the edges thereof and for securing it directly thereto,substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day ofSeptember, 1897.

I LEVI E. TIIORNE.

\Vitnesses:

E. Home YTALBERT, EWELL A..DICK.

